


The House at the End of the Street

by orphan_account



Series: One Shots & Shorts [19]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Car Accidents, Character Death, Childhood Friends, Ghosts, Haunted Houses, Horror, M/M, Murder, Mutual Pining, Pining, Spirits, implied Jeith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-10 22:34:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16463657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: There is a house at the end of James Griffin's subdivision - a house of horrors.After an incident that disturbs Keith, he ends up having the ability to speak with ghosts. He never expects to have to use this power on his friend.





	The House at the End of the Street

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this to torture Sa. 
> 
> Sorry, Sa.

“What are you even supposed to be?”

The question comes out harsh and judgmental as only a child could sound but Keith puffs out his chest and glares as hard as he can through the cut holes in the old sheet his mother had allowed him to destroy. “I’m a ghost,” he replies defensively – it was the only thing they could afford and he couldn’t just show up at James Griffin’s  _ Halloween _ party without a costume.

The kid rolls his eyes and walks away but Shiro, dressed as a cowboy, comes to stand by him and smiles. “It’s okay,” Shiro says. He’s a little older than him but Shiro was still invited because James’ mom knew Shiro’s mom. “I think your costume is great.”

Keith blushes red hot and he’s glad Shiro can’t see his face. “Thanks, Shiro,” he whispers.

“Hey, you want some of my candy? Your bucket is empty. Did you not go trick-or-treating earlier?” Shiro asks and points to the empty pumpkin in Keith’s hands.

“My mom didn’t have time to take me,” he replies sadly.

“We could go around the neighborhood. A lot of the others are doing it before the party starts. Want to go?” Shiro offers his hand and Keith immediately latches on. His mother had told him to stay at the Griffin’s house but what could happen around this peaceful neighborhood?

“Okay,” Keith says and Shiro immediately tugs him along back onto the porch and down to the sidewalk. Shiro’s nine so he can only assume they’ll be fine together. “Do you really like my costume?”

“Yeah!” Shiro says with a big smile.

“I wanted to dress up as Batman but Mama didn’t have enough money for the costume at the store,” Keith says. He remembers how he’d stared up at the costume rack while his mother debated on if they could afford a store-bought costume and the disappointment on her face when she had to walk away with him in tow. He didn’t mind but she’d been upset all night while helping him ready his ghost costume.

“I think your ghost costume is great,” Shiro says. “And now you can get your candy and share it with your Mom.”

“Yeah,” Keith says softly while they approach the first house and ring the doorbell.

The door pulls open and Shiro exclaims trick or treat and holds out his partially filled pillow sack while Keith holds out his bright orange plastic pumpkin. It won’t hold much candy but he’s never been one to gorge on chocolate anyway. They’re given their candy and head on to the next house. And the next. And the next. Soon, they’ve traipsed the whole neighborhood except for one of the newer houses at the end of the development.

The sky above is dark and inky as the sun sets and the wind is chillier with the incoming cold and promised rain for later tonight. The lone house sits at the end of the street, big and dark, but there’s still a light on the porch.

“Come on,” Shiro says and takes Keith’s hand but Keith digs his heels in.

The house feels  _ off _ . He can’t place it but he doesn’t want to go to that house and ring the bell. “No,” Keith says. “Shiro, let’s go back. My mom will be here to pick me up and I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“But it’s the last house,” Shiro says and keeps trying to go forward but Keith refuses. “Keith, c’mon, I’m right there beside you. It’s just a house.”

“I don’t want to go to that house,” Keith whispers.

Shiro rolls his eyes. “Are you being a  _ baby _ ?”

“No!” He huffs and glares, ripping the sheet off of his head so Shiro can have the full force of his withering stare. “I’m not a baby, I just think we should go home!”

Shiro rolls his eyes for a second time and lets go of Shiro’s hand in favor of approaching the house. Keith creeps after him but stays by the mailbox. Shiro slows down as he comes up to the porch steps. Keith can see him stalling.

“C’mon, Shiro, let’s just  _ go _ ,” Keith begs.

“It’s just a house,” Shiro argues but Keith can hear the tinge of fear in his voice. He’s not so sure anymore.

“ _ Shiro _ .”

Keith watches Shiro pause and then lift his foot to brush the porch step but the sound of a car approaching makes them both startle and turn around. Keith’s eyes widen when he sees his mother coming out of the car and looking halfway between scared and angry.

“Mama,” he gasps and Krolia grabs his arm to pull him close.

“Keith Yorak Kogane,  _ what are you doing _ ?!” Krolia demands. “I told you to stay at the Griffin’s house and at the party. Takashi, car,  _ now _ !”

Shiro blushes and ducks his head, muttering an apology, and they both pile into the car. Krolia immediately starts to lecture them on the danger of walking around at night in a neighborhood they don’t know without parents and how they’re both in a lot of trouble for disobeying. Keith listens but also turns to glance out the window at the dark house. Even as they drive away from it, Keith feels his skin crawl.

Krolia takes Shiro home after calling his mother about what had happened – Keith knows they’re both grounded but he’s glad they’re both safe. They wave goodbye to each other and Krolia walks Shiro to the door to make sure he’s inside safe before returning to the car and turning to look at him with disappointment.

“I’m sorry, Mama,” he whispers, his eyes dropping to his lap. “Can I still keep my candy?”

Krolia sighs. “Yes but only after I inspect the candy, okay?”

“Okay.”

She reaches over to brush his cheek. “You scared me tonight, Keith. I thought I lost you.”

“I’m sorry, Mama, I won’t do it again. I just wanted candy like the other kids.”

“I know… I’m sorry I couldn’t take you myself. Work’s just been… a lot lately.” Krolia brushes his hair back. “Was your costume alright?”

Keith nods. “Shiro liked it a lot.”

“I’m glad. Let’s go home, okay?”

“Okay.”

Krolia leaves the fancy neighborhood Shiro lives in and starts winding their way down to their side of town. It’s rundown and loud on their side of the woods as Krolia calls it but Keith doesn’t mind their trailer with the pink flamingos out front. When they go home, she lets him sit up and watch a few cartoons while she looks over his candy but then only allows him to have two pieces before bed. The candy tastes like ash in his mouth, however, the more he thinks on the dark house.

“I’m glad you came when you did,” Keith tells Krolia before she turns to leave his room.

“What?”

“The house Shiro was going up to… I didn’t like it.”

“It was just new, sweetheart.”

“There was something wrong with it,” Keith whispers and pulls his blanket up to his chin.

Krolia frowns but doesn’t say anything else on the matter. “Go to sleep, Keith.”

“Night, Mama.”

“Good night, pumpkin.”

The door is left cracked so Keith has a shred of light casting across his room which he clings to as he stares into the darkness of his bedroom. The tree outside the window is not usually frightening but fear grips his stomach so hard he almost wants to puke. There was something wrong with that house and he refuses to believe otherwise.

 

* * *

 

 

Monday rolled around and Keith was no longer grounded. The bus ride to school was full of chattering students but Keith didn’t pay them any mind – not until he overhears someone whisper about a house in James Griffin’s neighborhood. Two older students, older than Shiro, sit just across from him and quietly mutter about the news this morning. Keith clings to every word like water.

“Can you believe they found all of those bodies just  _ in _ his house? Some of them had been dead for years, he was just  _ carrying _ them around all this time.”

“ _ Gross _ .”

“Guy was nuts. I met him once and he gave my mom the heebie-jeebies, so we never spoke to him again after that.”

“I wonder what was going to  _ do _ with all of them bodies.”

“Dunno. Don’t  _ want _ to know.”

Bodies.

_ Bodies _ .

They could have pressed the bell of a crazy man murderer. Keith shudders and leans his head against the window. The pane rattles with every bump but Keith keeps his eyes closed and is suddenly thankful his mother had stopped them. They could have ended up in a bad situation. The kind of bad with a capital B. The kind of bad you don’t walk away from.

Shiro is climbing out of his mom’s car when Keith arrives from where the bus drops them off. He rushes ahead to catch up and grabs Shiro’s elbow. “Shiro.”

“Keith! Hey!” Shiro hugs him tight and Keith accepts the hug. “Still grounded? I am.”

“No, Mama said I was punished enough,” Keith replies. “But Shiro I  _ have _ to tell you something.”

“Tell me what?” Shiro tilts his head and Keith feels his heart speed up.

“That house we almost went to  _ was _ a bad house. The news said there were  _ bodies _ in it.”

A frown creases Shiro’s brows as he seems unconvinced. “Nu-uh.”

“ _ Yes _ . I heard about it on the bus.” Keith wishes he could prove it but without a television or newspaper, he knows he has no way of showing Shiro the truth. “I bet if you ask your teacher when you go in, she’ll know all about it. Adults always do.”

“Fine, I will ask her,” Shiro says and they head inside.

Keith follows Shiro to his class and watches Shiro walk right up to the desk. He hopes Shiro doesn’t end up in  _ more _ trouble because of him.

“Oh, good morning, Takashi. How can I help you?”

“Are there bodies in a house on the news?” Shiro asks and Keith can see the teacher blink in surprise.

“Well, that’s quite a question, isn’t it? If you’re referring to Mr. Macidus, then yes, I’m afraid it’s true, Takashi. Why do you ask?”

“Oh… Did… Did he live in the house in the new neighborhoods?” Shiro asks then, his voice shaking a bit with fear.

“He did. It’s quite shocking, I know. Did you hear about it on the news this morning?” she asks and takes his hands in a comforting gesture.

“I- I almost rang the doorbell last night. Trick or treating,” Shiro whispers. ‘Keith and me.”

She glances around him to see Keith and gestures for him to come into the classroom. Keith blushes but slowly ducks inside and she takes his hand, too. “You’re both frightened, I can see that, but what matters is that  _ neither _ of you was hurt last night. Something could have happened and I know that’s scary but you’re both safe and that man is going to jail.”

Shiro nods a little. “I’m glad your mom came when she did.”

“Me, too,” Keith says quietly.

“I can see your both shaken. How about I walk you to down to the office and call your parents. I think you both deserve a day off, today.”

“Okay,” Shiro says and Keith nods in agreement. He doubts his mother will be able to come to pick him up but maybe he can go home with Shiro. His mother is listed as a person who has the authorization to come and give him a ride if necessary.

They sit together, holding hands, while they wait to find out about their parents coming to take them home. Shiro’s mother is quick to arrive, looking pale, and she immediately wraps Shiro into a hug. Keith sits on the bench and feels envious of Shiro as he’s immediately comforted while he has to sit and wait.

“You’re safe, Takashi,” Shiro’s mother whispers as she kisses his forehead.

“I’m okay, Mom,” Shiro says. “Just… I’m glad we got in trouble.”

Keith picks at his beat-up jacket and wishes his mother would come and hug him, too. He wanted a hug and he wanted to smell her perfume and sit and watch television with her for the rest of the day. Shiro’s mother looks at him but she’s never really been his biggest fan.

“Is your mother coming, Keith, or do I need to take you home? You have a key to your house?”

Keith’s eyes widen a little. He doesn’t want to go home alone and Shiro quickly picks up on his fear.

“Mom, can’t he come stay at our house until Ms. Kogane can come pick him up?” Shiro asks immediately. “I know I’m grounded but I swear we won’t even have fun. We’ll just sit in my room.”

“Please, Mrs. Shiro-Shirogane,” Keith stutters out. He knows how to pronounce Shiro’s name but it always trips him on his tongue.

“ _ Please _ ?” Shiro reiterates.

“Alright, alright. I’ll sign you out,  _ only _ if I’m allowed and if your mother knows. Otherwise, I’m sorry Keith, you’ll have to stay here.” Mrs. Shirogane stands and goes to take care of everything but Keith’s hopes are in the dirt.

“She hates me,” Keith whispers and suddenly his eyes well with unwanted tears.

“What? No,” Shiro gasps and takes his hands. “That’s not true.”

“Yes it is,” he says and he hates his own emotions as he starts to cry. He’d never done anything wrong to Mrs. Shirogane as far as he knew. His only crime was not having any money and dressing poorly. The tears come harder and soon he’s sobbing so hard everyone is starting to look at him which only fuels his pain.

“Keith,” Shiro whispers and climbs onto the bench to pull him close. “It’s okay.”

The sobs come hard and he cries into Shiro’s shirt as everything suddenly weighs on him so heavily he’s not sure if his seven-year-old shoulders can take much more. His father dying, the loss of their house and belongings to a fire, the pain of having no friends, no playmates, and now  _ this _ – knowing Mrs. Shirogane hates him and they could have died the other night. It’s all too much.

“Keith,” Mrs. Shirogane says but he refuses to look at her even when she touches his back. “It’s alright. You can come home with us, I spoke with your mother on the phone-.”

“You don’t  _ want _ me,” Keith says, voice breaking as he hides further into Shiro’s shirt.

“He thinks you hate him,” Shiro whispers.

“Now, that’s not true,” Mrs. Shirogane continues. “Let’s get outside, I can take you boys to get something to eat. Keith, did you eat breakfast?”

He wants to lie and say  _ yes _ because then maybe she would think he has more money than he does but he shakes his head no and loses all gumption to cry. The tears dry up but he feels empty inside instead. They walk out to the Shirogane’s car and Shiro and Keith climb into the backseat. The ride is quiet, except for Shiro telling his mom about what they’d learned earlier from their teacher.

“I think I met him once,” Mrs. Shirogane is saying. “At the pharmacy. I never thought anything of it. I know you boys are scared but it’s alright – you’re both  _ safe _ and I am  _ very _ thankful to Keith’s mom for finding you that night.”

“Me, too,” Shiro says and shyly takes Keith’s hand.

Keith stares out the window blankly. He’s cold and tired and the feeling of numbness fills his chest like a black hole swallowing up any other emotion he could have potentially produced.

“Keith,” Mrs. Shirogane says softly. “Do you like to eat out for breakfast? We could go to a restaurant.”

Keith slowly turns his eyes over to her in the rearview and shrugs a little. He’s been to restaurants before but not since his pa died. “Haven’t been to one in a while.”

“Well, we’ll go somewhere nice for breakfast then. Takashi, do you want to go to IHOP? I know you like their pancakes.”

“Yeah! Please?”

“Okay.”

“You’ll love it, Keith.” Shiro squeezes his hand. “They have these pancakes they make into a smiling face with whipped cream and a raspberry and chocolate. It’s so good.”

“Sounds sugary,” Keith replies.

“It  _ is _ .”

“I’m really not allowed to have that stuff.”

“Oh,” Shiro says. “Right.”

“It’s alright, Keith, we’ll find you something, sweetheart,” Mrs. Shirogane replies but Keith wonders if the ‘sweetheart’ is to keep him from crying.  “Did you get a lot of Halloween candy?”

Every question feels insincere and Keith feels suspicious. “I guess.”

“Did you get any candy you like?”

He shrugs. “Mama only gave me two pieces and put the rest away.”

“That’s smart, don’t want you to eat it all and end up sick.”

Keith nods but doesn’t say anything else. He doesn’t tell her how he doesn’t eat a lot of candy or sugary snacks – not because he doesn’t want to but because they could use the money on other things, like gas in his mom’s car or school supplies or toilet paper. Keith thinks on his mom and how strong she is and how she’s always been so self-sufficient but she lost her job after his father died. The struggle to find work while trying to raise him landed her in poorly paid jobs and now she’s been out of practice and unlicensed for a few years.

He knows his mother is ashamed of working as a cleaning lady but Keith loves her all the same. She’s an artist and a musician and Keith wishes she could do what she wanted to do more than anything. Maybe when he’s grown up and can move away she can finally chase her dreams. Keith places his head on the car’s window and stares at the buildings passing by.

Maybe he should have knocked on the door the other night.

“Here we are,” Mrs. Shirogane says as they pull into the parking lot. “Keith, where’s your jacket?”

“I’m wearing it,” Keith replies and tugs at the small zip-up hooded jacket he’d received for Christmas two years ago. The jacket still fit but was dirty and worn.

“Oh, I see. Okay.” Mrs. Shirogane climbs out of the car and Keith follows Shiro. They hold hands and look both ways before crossing the parking lot to the sidewalk that leads to the IHOP’s entrance. The promise of a hot meal makes Keith’s stomach growl as he thinks on how he would have gone without breakfast  _ and _ lunch today.

“Have whatever you want, boys,” Mrs. Shirogane says as soon as they’re seated and Keith slowly hides behind a large menu.

Shiro points out the kid’s menu and Keith stares at the pictures but he can see Shiro hiding and squint behind his menu. Shiro’s always had issues with letters and words not making sense. Keith leans over to point to the pictures each dish refers to so Shiro can see it and comprehend faster.

“Thanks,” Shiro whispers while his face brightens to a soft red.

“You’re welcome,” Keith whispers back.

Mrs. Shirogane lets him them decide on their meals and then is quick to try and engage them both in conversation but Shiro does most of the talking. Keith stays quiet and uses the crayons to draw quietly on the back of his placemat while the waitress brings them all drinks and takes their order.

“What would you like Keith?”

Keith shrugs. “Eggs. With cheese.”

“Is that all?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

“You can have more, Keith,” Mrs. Shirogane says softly. “Maybe some toast? Pancakes?”

“Just eggs.”

“Bacon, maybe?”

“Mom, he said just eggs,” Shiro says quickly.

“Okay – how do you like your eggs?” Mrs. Shirogane asks.

“Scrambled,” Keith replies, still scribbling his crayon across the back of the placemat. He finds himself drawing the house they almost went to the other night. The bad house. He starts to color it black.

“Do you like to draw, Keith?” Mrs. Shirogane asks.

He nods and draws a pile of stick figures beneath the house. He wonders how many bodies the man had and what he could have been doing with them.

“What do you like to draw, Keith?” Mrs. Shirogane continues.

“Stuff.” Keith pulls the crayons back so she can see the house.

“what is that?” She frowns and leans forward to inspect his drawing.

“The house,” Keith replies. “And the bodies inside.”

Both Mrs. Shirogane and Shiro look concerned but Keith continues coloring. He draws more stick figures until the pile beneath the house reaches the bottom of the paper.

“How about we take a break from drawing?” Mrs. Shirogane reaches for his crayons and Keith knows better than to argue. She folds the drawing up and tucks it into her purse. Keith places his hands in his lap and stares at the table. “How about we talking about something else?” she offers.

“Can Keith come over this weekend?” Shiro asks, his voice rising in excitement.

“Maybe,” Mrs. Shirogane replies. “I’ll have to talk to Keith’s mom first.”

“Can I be ungrounded?” The second question Shiro asks in his sweetest voice and Keith can practically picture the puppy dog eyes.

“ _ Maybe _ . Here’s our food. Eat and behave, please.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Shiro mutters and Keith stares at his plate of scrambled eggs.

The room feels loud and hot but Keith manages to choke down one bite of egg. It tastes bad, too much cheese maybe or maybe the eggs are bad, but he doesn’t want to eat anymore. Shiro eagerly eats his pancakes and Mrs. Shirogane also has a plate of pancakes. They must be a pancake family. Keith is used to frozen waffles and McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches and cereal. Hardly anything home cooked.

“Are your eggs alright, Keith?” Mrs. Shirogane asks softly.

“Mhm.” He nods and takes one more bite just to appease her. “Full.”

“You’ve barely had any, sweetheart. Take a few more bites.”

Keith glances up at her in alarm and he shakes his head. “Realy full.” He’s not used to a lot of food and the eggs still do not taste good. They’re different – not at all what he’s used to eating.

“I’ll eat them,” Shiro offers.

Mrs. Shirogane looks ready to argue but decides against it. “Alright, go ahead.”

Keith passes his plate and wishes or his crayons back. He doesn’t like sitting in silence without anything to do when adults can stare at him. “May I have my crayons back, please?”

Mrs. Shirogane seems tired so she passes the crayons back without much of a fuss. Keith knows he can be tiring and different. He’s used to people hating him. He’s used to people leaving him, too. He doesn’t expect her to want him over this weekend.

Shiro is all smiles when they leave and go back to the Shirogane house. Keith is always blown away by the size of Shiro’s home and all of the stuff inside. Keith is certain his trailer can fit inside Shiro’s house many times over. They go upstairs after Mrs. Shirogane takes their coats and has them leave their shoes at the door. Shiro is eager to show Keith his new toys and Keith is quiet as they sit together on the carpet and play a game of dinosaurs and aliens.

“What’s wrong?” Shiro asks after Keith lets Shiro win the game. “You seem sad.”

“I’m fine,” Keith lies. “Just tired.”

“Do you want to take a nap?”

“Sure.”

“Okay. I’ll play quietly.”

Keith climbs into Shiro’s bed without further preamble and relishes in the softness. He’s safe here in this house. No harm can come to him here. Keith lets his eyes drift closed and he hopes his dreams are not plagued by mysterious murder houses and the dead.

“Keith, sweetheart, wake up.”

The sound of his mother’s voice brings him from dreams of basements and dark spaces to slowly open his eyes and stare into his mother’s kind eyes. She brushes his damp hair back from his forehead gently. “Mama?”

“Hello, little one,” Krolia says in a soft voice. “You fell asleep. Were you having a bad dream? You’re sweating.”

He nods before slowly sitting up. He’s still in Shiro’s room and Shiro is sitting in a chair at his desk. His face is a mask of worry but he couldn’t have been too bad or Shiro would have woken him up himself. “Yeah,” Keith says slowly with a yawn. “I think so, I don’t really remember.”

“Well, it’s time to go home, okay? Say goodbye to Shiro.”

Keith yawns again and slowly climbs out of Shiro’s comfortable bed. Shiro rises to meet him and they hug before Keith follows his mother back downstairs. He says goodbye to Mrs. Shirogane before following his mother to the car, where she helps him into the back seat and makes sure he’s buckled in. The ride is silent at first and Keith has to wonder if he’s in trouble. Usually, his mother would engage him in conversation unless he’s in trouble.

“Mama?”

“Hm?”

“Am I in trouble?”

Krolia sighs which only solidifies the concept of  _ trouble _ in Keith’s mind. “Well, you’re not in trouble, Keith but Mrs. Shirogane showed me a drawing you did today, of the house you almost trick-or-treated at, and I’m worried about you. I think we should talk about what happened.”

“Oh.” He doesn’t want to talk about it – he doesn’t even want to think about it but the thought still exists in his mind regardless. “Okay.”

They pull into their driveway and Krolia turns to face him. “Keith, you know that I love you and I would never let something bad happen to you.”

“I know, Mama.”

“And I’m so sorry that you were afraid that night but you’re  _ safe _ now. The man can never hurt you because he’s going to go to jail.” Krolia reaches back to touch his knee and squeeze gently. “Do you understand what that means?”

“It means he can’t leave.”

“That’s right. He’s going to jail for a very long time for hurting people and he can never hurt you or Shiro. I know you’re afraid and this has upset you but that particular man and house cannot hurt you. Do you understand?”

Keith nods. “Yes.”

“Say it for me.”

“That man and house cannot hurt me.”

“Good. Now, let’s go inside, you can have some more candy if you want.” Krolia offers him a small smile and Keith nods in return.

_ That man and house cannot hurt me. _

 

* * *

 

> **9 Years Later**
> 
>  

“That man and house cannot hurt me.”

Beggar’s Night in James Griffin’s neighborhood. His parents are out of town and he’s throwing some raucous party but Keith made a pit-stop on the way to stare up at the house no one has purchased in ten years. In the late evening sun, as the light streaks red across the sky, the house still appears ominous and dark. He remembers standing on the sidewalk and watching Shiro walk up to the porch – he wonders if Shiro had pressed the doorbell and his mother hadn’t come, what would have happened to them.

Would Macidus have killed them?

Would he have laced their candy with poison?

Would he have not even bothered to answer the door?

The house disturbed him so much ever since he’s had an ability to see ghosts and he’s certain he’s seen more dead people than is necessary for a sixteen-year-old. His eyes pull up to the top window and he flinches away when he sees a woman with blackened eyes staring down at him. Just his imagination – that’s what he tells himself, at least. He knows it’s not true but it’s enough to make him gather his bearings to drive away toward the Griffin’s house.

The party invitations had been passed around the entire school and Keith still remembers the shock when James pressed an invite right into his palm. They had never gotten along but being invited to a party was too good to pass up. He’s always been known as the weird kid – the kid who wore all black and sat in the back of the classroom doodling pictures of vampires and monsters. He’s never been popular.

Shiro, however, is the most popular boy at Garrison High.

Senior Class President, the star quarterback, golden boy, straight A Honor Roll – these were all ways to describe Takashi Shirogane.

Keith’s best friend was not one of those descriptors.

Bitterness fills Keith’s core as he thinks on how close they had been growing up but the older they’d become the more they’d grown in distance. Shiro remained popular while Keith quickly became known as the weird, art freak. The freak who saw ghosts and could talk to the dead. The freak who grew up in a trailer and had holes in his jeans but not for fashion’s sake. The kid who came to the Halloween party without a costume because he had no money to buy one.   

Keith parks his car across the street from James’ giant house and slowly approaches the front lawn where there are already people so wasted they’re vomiting on James’ overly green grass. Keith rolls his eyes but shoulders his way through the crowd on the porch and winds his way into the house. The Griffin’s house is the kind of house if found built in feudal times, peasants would have revolted in protest.

James is easy to spot, where he lounges on a couch surrounded by beautiful women, even though Keith knows James’ secret. Just last week he’d been on his knees in the bathroom for James so as far as Keith’s concerned he’s fooling no one. They make eye contact but James quickly looks away and Keith continues his way through the crowd to find a corner to make his own so he can observe. He only came because he knew Shiro would be here.

Shiro always comes to every party – part of being popular, Keith supposes.

He’s unsurprised when James stands up and tries to casually walk over to where Keith is standing, his back to the crowd, and standing near the punch table as if he’s not trying to socialize with Keith at all.

“What?” Keith asks.

“Don’t look at me,” James whispers.

“Christ, you’re pathetic. What do you want?”

James glances at him nervously. “Can we hang out later tonight?”

“I’m not here to see you, I’m here to see Shiro.”

“Shiro’s not even your friend anymore-.”

“Neither are you.” Keith turns his eyes to James and snorts. “If you want me to get you off so bad, maybe you should say please.”

“Please-.”

“No.”

“Why are you being like this?” James hisses, his face annoyed and frustrated.

“Because I don’t like being used by closet cases.” Keith rolls his eyes and looks away. He’d had a crush on James, maybe he still does, but after James used him once he’s already at his limit.

“I’m sorry, okay? I- you know I can’t come out. My parents would skin me alive. Keith, please… You know I like you. I said I did.” James looks torn between being upset and desperate and the look eats right through Keith’s heart.

“I’m also not popular and you are, so even if we were dating, you would still want to pretend we aren’t. I’ll pass.” Keith knows how this would work with James with James being in a popular position. If James came out, they still wouldn’t be able to loudly be together since his popularity status matters more to him than the people around him.

“Not true,” James says and he grabs onto Keith’s coat to keep him from walking away. “That’s not true. I would tell people if we were together. Look, I know you think all I care about is being popular but I never asked to be popular. People only like me because I have money. If we were together, I’d want to  _ be _ together.”

Keith looks James over and he feels his heartstrings pull so hard he almost leans over to kiss him right then and there but he holds back. “But we’re not together so it doesn’t matter what you  _ would _ do. We’re not together and we can’t be together so just leave me alone.”

“Keith-.”

Keith pulls out of James’ grip and storms through the kitchen to the backyard and finds people partying in the empty pool and on the lawn. He almost decides to ditch the party entirely when he hears someone yell  _ Shirogane, catch _ , and he turns to see Shiro catching a beer someone tosses over. He’s dressed in blue jeans, white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket with his black hair slicked back. Keith feels his heart quicken in his chest and his palms immediately start to sweat.

James Griffin has nothing on Takashi Shirogane.

Shiro’s surrounded by beautiful people but Keith approaches anyway. He picks at his non-costume and wishes he had dressed up but he supposes every day is Halloween for him in his all black and witchy clothing. “Shiro,” he calls and Shiro slowly turns to look at him.

Shiro’s much taller than he used to be with Keith only coming up to his chest he has to crane his neck back to look at him and Shiro has to look down. Shiro’s smile falters and then returns smaller and softer when he sees Keith. “Hey,” Shiro says. “Wow, long time no see, Keith.”

“Yeah,” Keith agrees. “Can we talk?”

“Uh, sure.” Shiro sets his beer aside and they walk away from the group to go find a quiet part of James’ backyard. The treehouse has a swing which Keith immediately sits on and Shiro stands with his back to the tree trunk, hands stuffed in his pocket. “You wanted to talk?” Shiro asks.

“Yeah, as you said, we haven’t in a long time.”

“I know.”

“Not since I was ten.”

“I know that, too.”

“Six years,” Keith says even though he knows Shiro can count just fine.

“What do you want, Keith?” Shiro runs a hand over his hair and Keith wonders if he’s already worn out his welcome.

Keith shrugs and slowly drags his toes along the grass under his feet. “You remember the house?”

Shiro snorts. “You won’t let me forget, so yeah, I remember that night and nothing happened, okay? You have to learn to let it go, Keith. We didn’t see the guy, we didn’t even ring the bell, it was just one giant maybe.”

“But-.”

“Keith, nothing bad happened and nothing bad has happened since. You’re mentally blowing it way out of proportion and you won’t let it go.  _ This _ is why we can’t be friends because I can’t take this conversation over and over and over again. It’s tiring.” Shiro shakes his head and turns to go but Keith reaches out to take his elbow and stop him.

“I’m sorry,” Keith whispers.

Shiro slowly turns around and Keith rises to his feet so they can face each other. “I just… I just want to forget about that night.”

“I know,” Keith replies. He trails his eyes over Shiro’s square jaw and the gray storm of his eyes. He’d always been handsome but he looks so good now Keith can feel his heart break over how amazing he looks. “You look good, Shiro.”

“You, too, Keith.”

Keith snorts. “I do not.”

“Yes, you do look good,” Shiro replies sharply. “I mean, you grew up nice. I like the look.”

“You do?” Shiro liking his darker look surprises him considering the kind of people Shiro keeps in close company these days.

“Yeah, I do. It’s creative and not cookie-cutter. I like that.”

“Oh.” Keith feels his cheeks heat up and he glances down at their shoes shyly. “Thank you.”

“You doing good, Keith? I mean… Really, how are you doing? I miss talking to you.”

“I’m doing good, Shiro… I mean, as good as I can be doing, I guess.” Keith slowly sits back down on the swing and surprisingly, Shiro sits down on the ground so they can continue to talk.

“The house still bothers you, huh?”

He nods even though it wracks him with shame. “I don’t want it to… But I went there before coming here and it’s so… creepy. Abandoned. I don’t know, it didn’t make me feel better.”

Shiro nods and picks some grass. “We should go over there later tonight. Just face our demons together.”

“I thought it didn’t bother you?” Keith tilts his head to one side in surprise. Shiro seemed so unphased by the entire event, even when they had been younger, Shiro had never seemed bothered by what could have happened to them. Keith had lingered onto the incident but Shiro had always so quickly moved on. Keith envied Shiro for being able to let go.

“It bothers me sometimes,” Shiro admits softly. “I don’t like to talk about it but I do dream sometimes. About what could have been.”

“Maybe you’re right, maybe lingering on something is stupid.” Keith wishes he could let go – he’d wanted to let go a long time ago but for whatever reason, the threat of the house, the murders within, the bodies in the basement, and Macidus’ grin on the court screening had left him disturbed.

“Sometimes, you can’t help it,” Shiro admits. “I’m sorry I jumped on you. I guess if I really thought about it, I’d admit I’m pretty skeeved out, too. I mean, we could have  _ died _ and not in a fun way. Not that there is a fun way to die- you know what I mean.”

Keith snorts. He does know what Shiro means. “Yeah.”

“Do you wanna drive over there? I can drive us.”

Keith glances back at the party and then nods. “Sure.”

Shiro smiles and offers his hand which sends Keith’s stomach skittering with butterflies. “Come on. This party blows anyway.”

Keith accepts Shiro’s hand and he helps Shiro to his feet before they leave the party and head out front and down the street to Shiro’s parked car. Keith’s always admired Shiro’s car – black, brand new, shiny Audi. He’s unsure what an eighteen-year-old needed with a 60,000 dollar car but he’s also not Shiro’s parents. He’s lucky he even has a car that semi-runs.

“I saw you got a car recently, right?” Shiro asks as he unlocks the door with a pleasant chirp from the vehicle.

“Yeah,” Keith replies. He stares at the door handle and wonders if he’s even allowed to touch something so fancy and clean.

“Getting in?” Shiro asks as he sese Keith pause.

“Maybe we should walk, Shiro.”

“Why? Keith, you can get in my car, it’s okay. It’s clean.”

“I know that…” Keith looks away as he recalls times when people mocked him for being dirty and smelly when taking a shower at his house was not always an option. They’ve had consistently running water ever since middle school now but people still called him the dirty poor boy.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just… I don’t feel like I should touch your car. Feels wrong.” Keith shrugs and crosses his arms across his chest as a defense. “Like I’m gonna taint it or something.”

“Keith, I don’t see you that way,” Shiro replies. “Please, let’s just go.”

Keith sighs and slowly opens the door to the car and slides into the passenger’s seat. Leather seats, premium appearance package, excellent sound system – the kind of car he could only dream of owning. “Nice car,” Keith says and tries to keep his hands off of the stereo.

“Thanks,” Shiro replies before turning the car on with a push of a button. “You got a car, I saw that the other day. Did your mom get it for you?”

“No, I bought it with the money I saved up. Six hundred bucks,” Keith says and feels lamentation of how he’d had to spend the six hundred he’d been saving for something else. “Mom was going to get me a car for my birthday but stuff fell through so I had to use my own cash.”

“Oh…” Shiro trails off and they start on down the street. “Is that it?” They pause by Keith’s beat up Saturn.  

“Yeah,” Keith replies with a shrug. “Nothing fancy.”

“Hey, it runs, that’s important. Now you can get a better job, I bet,” Shiro says and smiles.

Keith shrugs. “Yeah. I guess.”

“Save up for a better car.”

He snorts. “Yeah, right.”

“Why not? Get a better job, make more money, get a better car-.”

“Because, Shiro, that’s not how it works in my world, okay? I know you’re used to getting what you want but that isn’t how it works for me. I steal stuff sometimes because we don’t have enough money for food. Mom’s sick – she’s been sick for a few years now and we spend a lot of our money on her doctors and bills.” Keith drops his eyes to his lap as he thinks on how much everything cost and how they would never be caught up. “The money I was saving, that six hundred dollars, wasn’t for a car. I wanted to finally get myself a decent computer so I could maybe take it to school but who knows if I’ll even get to go to college at this rate.”

Shiro glances at him and they pull up outside of the house but don’t say anything about it yet. “You’ll go to college, Keith. I’m sure you’ll get assistance because you guys don’t have a lot.”

“Maybe.”

“I’m sorry… I’m not trying to assume- I didn’t even know your mom was sick. How bad is it?” Shiro looks sad and guilty as he plays with the hem of his shirt.

“Bad,” Keith whispers. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Your mom is strong.”

“Oh, look, the house.” Keith climbs out of Shiro’s car before they can discuss anything further on the matter of his mother. The house stands dark and tall while the moon rises behind it in a dramatic Halloween stereotypical scene. Keith stands near the car, arms folded. He’s not even sure they can go up there.

“It’s big,” Shiro says and they stand shoulder to shoulder.

“Yeah. Big.”

Shiro glances at him with uncertainty. “Scary?”

Keith squints up at the house and sees the woman standing in the window again so he looks away. “Yeah. Scary.”

“I wonder if it’s unlocked.”

“ _ Shiro _ .”

“Come on, let’s see.” Shiro heads up the steps and Keith has no choice but to quickly follow in his steps.

“Shiro, no,” Keith hisses but too late Shiro is already turning the knob and the door opens with a low groan.

Dust and darkness await on the other side but Shiro pulls out his phone to flip the flashlight on and cuts away some shadow. Shiro steps over the threshold and Keith stays close to his side – he refuses to let Shiro be attacked by a ghost when he could potentially put a stop to something so dramatic. The door opens onto a hallway with rooms on either side of the foyer. The two front rooms are mostly empty with only a few pieces of furniture behind; a covered chair and a dusty dining room table.

Shiro flips the light switches on and off but no lights come on. A staircase going upstairs sits adjacent to the first front room but they follow the hallway back to the kitchen at first. Keith shudders when he sees two bodies lying on the kitchen floor with a third suspended on the chandelier.

Spirits.

“Spooky,” Shiro says and then sneezes. “Mostly dusty.”

 Keith turns his eyes back to the two spirits on the floor, unmoving, while the other swings from the ceiling just over Shiro’s head. Suicides it seems – killed themselves before Macidus could kill them. Keith supposes that was probably the preferred method of death in this house.

“Keith, you coming?” Shiro asks while he walks around the living area which is empty and dusty. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Keith shudders. “I don’t know-.” They both cut off when the lights of the house suddenly flood the entire room with golden light. Shiro freezes and Keith’s eyes widen in alarm.

“That’s not possible,” Shiro whispers and he launches to flip the switch on and off but nothing changes. The lights stay on and Keith feels sick to his stomach. Thumps and footsteps sound upstairs followed by a scream so awful Keith almost loses control of his bladder.

“Run,” Keith whispers and they both launch back down the hallway toward the front door.

Shiro reaches the door first and tries to yank it open but it remains locked. “No, no, no-.”

More footsteps sound upstairs and Keith slowly turns to look up the staircase. He can see shadows moving at the top of the stairs like people moving. A loud thud draws their attention to the ceiling where Keith knows the spirits are restless upstairs. Most of the bodies had been found in Macidus’ bedroom.

“I can’t open it,” Shiro whispers. “I’m gonna break a window.”

“With what?” Keith asks.

“I don’t know. Something.”

Shiro continues to panic behind him but Keith slowly starts to walk upstairs, his fingers trailing along the banisters. The house seems to beckon him to come further and he feels the atmosphere tug and pulls him along. Images of bloody handprints and scrapes on the wall by the stairs make Keith envision Macidus dragging his victims up the steps to the second floor. He wonders how long the house stood here before Macidus turned it into a house of horrors. The news had stated the house had been built brand new and stood empty for two years before Macidus moved in.

No one had ever noticed anything amiss because the remainder of the development had never happened around the house. It stood alone on an empty street. The perfect place for dastardly deeds. Keith touches the top of the stairs and turns to stare down the hallway to the door he knows leads to the bedroom. The door is shut but he can hear the spirits on the other side.

“Keith?” Shiro calls but Keith ignores Shiro’s plea to go down to the door and reach out to touch the handle with his fingertips. “Keith?!”

The handle sends a minor shock in his arm but Keith dares to grasp onto the cold handle and push the door open. He steps across the threshold and is surprised to see the bedroom mostly intact. The bed rests against the furthest wall with a dresser across from it on the opposite wall. The door to the master bathroom stands open and when Keith turns to look he can see several ghosts clustering in the doorway. Several of the victims had been found in the tub.  The woman by the window is standing still and when she turns to face him the lights go out, returning the room to darkness.

“What do you want?” Keith asks but she doesn’t respond, simply staring at him – no – through him. She stares through him as if there is someone else with him in the room but no one else is around.

“Keith!”

Keith turns his eyes to the bed where he can see more ghosts reaching out from under the bed to try and beckon him closer but he remains in the doorway. He knows if he goes inside, they’ll lock him in, and he’ll never be free.

“Keith, I got the door open! Let’s go!”

The woman continues to stare at him but Keith has no choice but to turn and rush back from the door and go downstairs back to Shiro. Shiro is pale and shaken but they hurry back out into the night and to the waiting car.

“What were you doing up there?” Shiro demands.

Keith shakes his head. “Just drive.”

“Keith-.”

“ _ Drive _ .”

“Back to your car?”

“Yes.” Keith stares out the window and tries to forget what he saw in the house but he can’t. They never should have gone there.

“Do you want to come to my house tonight?” Shiro asks quietly.

Keith mulls it over and then realizes he may never have this opportunity again. “Sure.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

“I’m sure.” Shiro would never believe him anyway. No one ever did.

“Okay.” The ride turns quiet and Shiro drops Keith off at his car. “Follow me home or do you need to stop at your place first?”

“I’ll just follow you,” Keith says with a shrug and slides to his beat up car. He’s sure Mrs. Shirogane hasn’t missed him and won’t appreciate his eyesore of a car in her immaculate driveway. He wonders if she danced in excitement when Shiro quit talking to him and he quit coming over.  _ Probably _ , he thinks bitterly.

Keith follows Shiro back to his house and parks on the curb across the street so as not to block anyone in and so Mrs. Shirogane won’t be upset he’s parked his car on her property. Shiro waits for him and seems confused as he approaches the driveway.

“You could have parked behind me,” Shiro says as they head to the door by the garage.

“Your mom isn’t really a fan of me so I doubt she’d want to see my ugly car in her driveway,” he replies with a shrug. Pretending things don’t bother him is easier than admitting they do. “It’s no big deal. I don’t want to block anyone in.”

Shiro hums but doesn’t argue. They head inside, take off their shoes, and creep toward the stairs to head up to the second floor. The house is quiet and dark so Keith can only assume Shiro’s parents are asleep. He wonders how much they mind their golden star child running off and partying as often as he does.

“Your parents don’t give you a curfew?” Keith asks after they’re safely inside Shiro’s room.

“They know I’m responsible.”

“Hm.” Keith looks around the room and sees it’s almost the same with a few technology upgrades. New computer, there’s an iPad sitting on Shiro’s bed, and a bigger television with newer game systems. Other than that, the room is exactly the same, even the stuffed animals on his bookshelf. “Wow, hasn’t changed much, has it?”

Shiro laughs and sits on his bed. “No, not really.”

“Bed the same?”

“Same company. Newer mattress. It’s bigger.”

“Right, right, yeah I guess it is bigger. Makes sense.” Shiro had gotten bigger so of course his bed would have had to grow with him. “Still comfortable?”

“I think so.”

Keith nods and realizes he’s standing around unsure what to do. His heart is racing and his palms are sweating. Clearly, Shiro invited him back for a reason and he’s not sure if he’s reading too much into the situation. Maybe it was innocent or maybe Shiro wanted more. The rumors of Takashi Shirogane being not quite straight had spread throughout the school post the summer but Keith never put a lot of stock into rumors.

Until now.

“Shiro?” Keith asks softly.

“Yeah?”

“Are you… I mean, did you invite me here because… you’re…”

“Gay?”

Keith snorts. “Yeah.”

Shiro snorts in turn and rubs the back of his neck. “I  _ am _ but that’s not why I invited you here. I mean, you are… I do find you… you know…  _ Attractive _ … but I didn’t ask you to come here for that reason. If that’s what you want-.”

“No,” Keith says quickly. “It isn’t what I want.”

“Okay.”

“So, we both know we don’t want that and we just want to be friends?” Keith asks slowly even if he’s not one hundred percent sure that’s what he wants. “I mean- unless you want to be more than that- I’m sorry, I’m just gonna shut up. I’ll go to bed. No, I’ll go-.”

“Keith!”

“I’m gonna go,” Keith says and turns to flee Shiro’s room. He rushes down the stairs and back out the door and toward the end of the driveway before Shiro catches up.

“Keith,  _ wait _ !” Shiro grabs his elbow and Keith realizes Shiro’s holding his shoes. “First of all, you probably want these. Secondly, you don’t have to go. You can stay. I  _ do _ like you but I think we need to get to know each other again. I also think we should talk about what happened in the house.”

“The house… The house…” Keith shakes his head while closing his eyes. There were so many spirits in the house and they were all so afraid.

“What  _ happened _ ?”

“I don’t know completely… I can’t- you won’t believe me, Shiro. No one does.” Keith grabs his shoes and leans against Shiro’s car to pull them on.

“Try me.”

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. People would never believe him about spirits and ghosts, not even his mother, and he’s not even sure if the house was the real reason he started seeing them. “Ever since we went to the house that Halloween night, I’ve been able to see ghosts and spirits. I see them pretty often and the house was littered with them. They’re all afraid.”

Shiro’s eyebrows slowly rise upward to meet his hairline and disappear behind his bangs. “Ghosts?”

“Yes. I know it sounds crazy. I know it’s not rational and maybe the house had nothing to do with it, I just know ever since, I haven’t been able to stop seeing them. The spirits in the house were afraid. There was one in the window. She turned to look at me and she looked through me- I don’t know why they can’t move on. It’s been a long time and he’s still in prison, so I just don’t get it.” Keith shakes his head. “I wish I could help them move on.”

“You can’t?”

“No. I’ve tried. I’ve never been able to help any of them. Any spirits who I’ve met, I’ve never been able to help them.” Keith covers his mouth as he thinks on all of the ghosts he’s met and not been able to assist.

“It’s not your fault, Keith,” Shiro whispers. “And I do believe you. Going to the house was a bad idea.”

“ _ Yeah _ .’

“I’m sorry I made us go.”

He shakes his head and wipes his face with his shirt. The urge to cry fills his entire body but he manages to hold back. “I don’t know. Maybe the house wanted us to go there. Calling us. We’re lucky we escaped.”

They fall silent as they realize once again something had saved them from the house intertwined in their lives in such a jarring and alarming way. Keith slowly wraps his arms around Keith to give him a hug and Shiro accepts with a squeeze. No more words need to be spoken tonight. Shiro walks him to his car and Keith waves as he leaves Shiro in the street.

They could talk more on Monday.

They could figure out where to go from here.

 

* * *

 

 

“Have a good day, Keith.”

Keith presses a kiss to his mother’s cheek before making sure she’s tucked in on the couch comfortable. “Call me if you need me, Mom. I know you won’t but you can.”

“I know, sweetheart.”

Keith gives her one more smile before leaving the house to head for the car. The morning is cold with fog and mist so thick he knows the ride will take double his usual time to drive to school. He hadn’t heard from Shiro over the weekend and Keith can only imagine them both going to text the other and chickening out. At least, he hopes it was only a game of gay chicken and not Shiro ignoring him entirely.

The road is empty of traffic which is surprising, considering it’s 6:45 on a Monday morning. Most people are up early going to school and work but the fog has clearly kept everyone in bed. “Should have stayed in bed,” Keith mutters while reaching to adjust the radio. It only works half of the time and the fog seems to be eating any reception he could have had. Only static plays back so he gives in and turns it off. The road remains empty and quiet. Closer to the school, the fog seems to let up to be a finer mist versus a heavy blanket, as trees cut through the mass.

In his peripheral, Keith sees his phone light up on the seat, and he turns to glance to see if Shiro might have messaged him but the print is too small to make out. A shadow passing in front of his car makes him yank his eyes back to the road in alarm and he has to slam on his brakes to keep from hitting whatever is standing in the middle of the road. Fear grips his gut and makes his heart pound heavily and Keith has to take a moment to breathe before he can calm down enough to focus on what happened.

Squinting through the fog, the figure slowly comes into focus, and then he watches as a man rushes up to his car and starts to bang on the windows leaving blood on the windshield and glass. It takes him a moment to realize the man banging on his car is Shiro.

“Keith!”

“Oh my God, Shiro!” Keith reaches to pull open the car door and climb out of the car. Maybe Shiro had been in an accident or maybe there was another up the road and Shiro had been trying to help. “Shiro, what hap-…” Keith trails off once he steps out of the car. Shiro is gone and there are no traces of blood on his vehicle.

Keith blinks a few times and realizes quickly he needs to not be in the middle of the road. Clearly, he didn’t sleep well enough last night and worrying about Shiro not texting him all weekend has made his brain believe Shiro is in danger. Keith slides back into the car and pulls off of the road so he can send Shiro a quick  _ GM!  _ Text so he can at least say he tried to contact Shiro. The school looms up ahead and Keith parks in his usual spot and decides to wait on Shiro’s Audi. If nothing else, visual confirmation will help him relax.

The parking lot quickly fills but one black car doesn’t show up and Shiro’s text remains unanswered. Worry fills Keith’s gut as he heads into the building and sits in his first class. He sits in the back and stares out at the football field until the sight of a scared Shiro standing in the field makes him sit up and he grabs his bags without thinking. The teacher protests his abrupt leave but Keith ignores him in favor of running down the hallway and out the nearest EXIT door to run onto the slipper field.

“Shiro!”

Shiro slowly turns to face him and Keith notes he’s standing in his football jersey and a pair of jeans but no jacket despite the cold weather. His hands are bloody and his face is bruised. His shirt is also blooming with blood as if he’s bleeding freely beneath the fabric. His dark hair is matted against his skull also with blood and Keith flinches when he sees something goopy running down his ear and neck.

“Keith?” Shiro whispers fear making his voice shake. “Where am I?”

Keith wants to be alarmed – to call 911 and to scream for help but when he looks at Shiro just right in the light, he knows there is something wrong. His image shimmers and at times Keith can see the field on the other side. This isn’t really Shiro he’s looking at – no – this is Shiro’s spirit.

“Shiro,” Keith says, his voice breaking softly. “I-  _ what happened _ ? What’s the last thing you remember?” He needs to stay calm and try to help. He can’t freak out or cry or mourn, not yet, not until he knows where Shiro is and if his parents know. If anyone knows.

“I remember I was driving home from football practice and then… Nothing,” Shiro whispers softly, his face a mask of confusion. Keith flinches when he realizes the mess on Shiro’s neck is brain matter.

“Did you see lights or hear a car honking?”

“No. I was at a stop light.”

“Christ,” Keith gasps. “What time was it?”

“Um… Late. We had a night practice. Like nine?”

Keith runs a hand over his face, trying to push back an urge to scream and cry. Someone must know, meaning his parents must know, meaning Shiro is probably lying in a morgue somewhere. “Shiro, do you know what day it is? The time?”

“No.”

“I need you to think. To look around. I know it’s scary but I’m right here with you.” Keith holds out his hands and Shiro immediately tries to take them but they can’t touch.

“Wh…” Shiro frowns and trails off as his hands pass through Keith’s turning them ice cold. “Keith?”

Tears well into Keith’s eyes. “Shiro. I’m  _ so _ sorry.”

“Am I… dead?” Shiro asks quietly with fear in his eyes. “Keith, I don’t want to be dead, I- I-.” Shiro’s image flickers a few times and Keith lunges forward to try and keep Shiro with him.

“Shiro, don’t panic! It’s okay. It’ll be okay.”

“I-I- I don’t even know where my body is. My parents? I-I-.” Shiro looks around and then his gaze seems to focus elsewhere. “Oh.”

“Shiro?”

“I- I’m… I can see…” Tears slowly started to run down his face. “You can see me because of the house and you said you haven’t been able to help people before-.”

“I’m going to  _ try _ to help.” Keith takes a deep breath to try to steady his nerves. “Do you know where you are? I mean- can you see-.”

“Yes.” The pain in Shiro’s voice breaks Keith’s heart. “My parents are sad.”

“I’m sorry. You have to move on for them, Shiro. I know it’s hard because you don’t want to leave them but they’d want you to rest.” Keith has no idea how to help spirits move on since he’s never been successful before – all he can do is beg them to go. They always beg for help but so far Shiro hasn’t really asked for help. Maybe because he’s a new spirit but he has to try.

“I don’t know  _ how _ ,” Shiro laments. 

“Maybe if you…” Keith takes a breath because he’s not sure either and part of him doesn’t want to let Shiro go. They had just started to talk again after years of going without talking and now Shiro is dead. Never again would he have a chance to see Shiro’s smile or hear Shiro’s laugh. He wouldn’t be able to tell Shiro how he feels. Tears fill Keith’s eyes and he covers his mouth with his hand. He’s not ready to let go.

“Keith,” Shiro whispers. “It’s okay.”

“ _ No _ ,” Keith sobs as tears start to flow down his face. “No, it’s not okay. It’s  _ not _ . You’re too young! You had your whole life ahead of you and now…” He shakes his head. “Now you don’t. And I lost my best friend.”

Shiro’s face turns soft and sad. “I know,” he says softly. “It’s not fair but sometimes life isn’t good or kind or fair. I’m sorry I had to leave you, Keith. You’ll come to say goodbye right?”

“If your mom lets me come.”

“She will. She’d want you there.” Shiro looks down at his bloodied hands and touches his shirt where it’s bleeding through. “It’s cold.”

“You need to go, Shiro. Staying here won’t help you. You’ll turn into an angry spirit and that’s not good for anyone. Go where it’s warm.” Keith wipes his face and wonders if anyone is staring at him from the building, just standing in the field, talking to himself.

“Keith,” Shiro says quickly. “I want you to know I really liked you, a lot, and I’m sorry I quit being your friend over stupid stuff. I wish I could go back and change it.”

Keith nods. “I understand.”

“I think… I think we could have been a good couple, maybe, if we’d had a chance.” Shiro smiles and looks abashed. Keith returns the smile with a soft one of his own. “Nothing really prepares you for this.”

“I love you, Shiro. You were like a brother to me… my best friend.” The second wave of tears rips through his resolve and slowly slide down his cheeks, burning his eyes, and making his lip tremble. A sob living in his breast threatens to break free like a caged bird desperately beating its wings. He knows, as soon as Shiro is gone, he will set it free.

“I love you, too, Keith.” Shiro’s hand cups his face and chills run down Keith’s body in response. “Promise me that you’ll try to let the house go. I know it hits you hard and I think it hits me hard, too, but promise you’ll let it go.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good.” Shiro shuts his eyes and Keith watches him fade away until he truly is alone in a cold, green field.

The sob bursts free of his chest and Keith collapses to his knees, pressing his forehead to the ground in his grief. He cries until he can no longer cry anymore and his body feels nothing at all. He hopes Shiro managed to cross over and he hopes for once he was able to help a spirit find its resting place. More than anyone, Shiro deserves to rest. Nothing is worth Shiro’s pain.

Keith manages to push himself up on his feet, wiping his face and nose on the back of his sleeve. The world felt a little colder on Keith’s walk back to the school. He hopes Shiro has found peace and is happy wherever he’s gone. No more suffering – just happiness. Keith prepares himself to go back inside when the sight of a black butterfly perched on the school door makes him pause.

Considering the time of the year, the butterfly shouldn’t be there but it beats its wings slowly as the dew slides away. Keith holds out a finger for the insect to rest on, his heart beating so fast in his chest he can’t even feel it anymore. The butterfly alights onto his finger and waits as the sun slowly peers through the gloomy clouds and warms the area. When its wings no longer feel heavy and wet, the butterfly takes to the air and flies around Keith’s face, tickling his nose and bangs on its way.

Keith remembers a time he and Shiro used to chase butterflies in Shiro’s garden. He remembers how one landed on his nose and Shiro had laughed so hard he’d fallen down. A soft smile fills Keith’s face and he turns his eyes up to the sky overhead.

“Thank you, Shiro,” he whispers. “Rest easy.”

The butterfly dances around Keith’s head lightly and disappears into the sky. The bird living in his chest flies free after.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on [tumblr](http://pining-sheith.tumblr.com/) & [twitter](https://twitter.com/pining_sheith)


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